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Archive for the tag “feminist”

They say that the most terrible things do not require pictures to imagine. I believe this to be true, and also that our media tactics today rely too much on the visual. However, I am aware that we are all so visually intrigued today- this I believe to be another affectation of the masculine psyche in power. Still too I know that had I not been presented with the undesired visuals this morning over my soothing warm coffee and virtually had my day shattered, then I would not be writing this post now. So, the authors, writers, journalists, bloggers- whatever you’ll call them (us)- they’ve done their job. Awareness has been raised, with this one person at least, and then so also with others- ripe awareness.

I was set to enjoy my reading on this delightful Saturday morning- coffee out, along with all my usual morning writing comforts, and referring to my usual internet media readers when I realized that the topic for today chosen by many was to be that of female genital mutilation (FGM). I’ve been aware of this- what I consider to be an horrendous- practice nearly my entire life, as someone born of the early 1970s era and in tune to the world politics of the time. My first and steady opinion of FGM has been a negative one, strongly ANTI-FGM. For this, many thanks are due to television news media, as seldom anyone in my family really spoke of politics that I recall.

I cannot deny that this is still a beautiful Saturday morning, and I cannot take personally the offense to the media bash this morning upon my conscience as I viewed my reader feeds. I will never play those videos, because truly as a woman I do not need to. But I saw the images. Didn’t need to, but I did, and my day is changed. Maybe there are men and women who truly do not understand and can be helped by seeing the practice, and swayed into a different mindset. Certainly, the more compassionate among men could be video-shocked into the certainty of a wrong practice being done with female genital mutilations, where before they likely may have never thought of it, their educations in life being of such an opposing slant to the educations of women.

Just one point: I’ll bet MANY never realized (until they saw images) that female genitalia mutilation victims were of such an advanced age when they are traumatized by the practice, nor that community males were the ones doing the dastardly deed, nor that their own mother’s held them down. (Even I had envisioned a party of men trekking to each girl’s house, acting over the mother’s screams of anguish- but NO).

Dear reader, thanks for reading. I had to just get this off onto some kind of media so I wouldn’t carry it around the back of my mind all day long. The writers have done their jobs, the people now act. That’s the way it goes. Make change people.

Feminism is a part of me. Never a conscious choice, it is a by-product of the times in which I grew up as a child and subsequently matured into adulthood amidst the American culture of the times. I specify American culture simply because it has been my primary exposure, though, there have been other cultures at play.

I’m fascinated that the feminist state today is as likely to backside as it is to move forward. My feminist outlook is not only a by-product of the necessary propaganda of past times, it is also a result of the natural and visceral reaction of self-preservation. The movement itself would not be necessary to instigate my feelings of wrongdoing having been done.

What came first- feminism or the feminist movement?

I meet many women of many types who, when asked, express minimal interest in the ideas of inequality still seen before us today, and experienced by many women still. Thankfully, I also meet many who are keenly aware of the current climate regarding various male-female paradigms.

My own interest and awareness have never been minimal; however, I am usually loathe to think of risky situations involving women due simply to their sex, or gender. I try to live in a world envisioned as better, and I often pretend the slights of sexism that I experience never happened. I never forget them, but this is a kind of fuel for instigating change through awareness.

Preconceived- and even barbaric notions seem to naturally work against (and sometimes for) the feminine gender at all times. I’ve made acquaintance with many men and had opportunity to chat about some of the issues plaguing women still today (and in the past). Allow me to clarify that I found, for the most part, men today are quite modern in regard to the issues of feminism. Like myself and other females in my circle, they are aware of discrepancies and abuses of gender equality, and they at least put on a good face and show verbal support (lip service?). I’m curious what the sympathetic men out there are doing to further the cause of equality among genders.

I heard last night that National Feminist “Coming Out” Day will have its celebration on March 8 this year, 2012. I was surprised at myself, not knowing such a thing. How had I missed this day over all the years of my life? Having been born in the early 70’s as the 2nd wave of feminism was going strong, I grew up VERY aware of the plights of women of the world and in my own homeland, throughout history.

This forces me to realize that what they say about women, always putting everyone and everything else first before themselves, is horribly true (Isn’t that supposed to be men? Turns out it likely never was). Why were we LAST as a group to get this accomplished in our nation of supposed advancement and equality?

Remember this- we cannot take care of others unless we take care of ourselves first. No one can. Most men know this. Many women don’t realize it.